Andy Murray has pulled out of the Barcelona Open after failing to recover from the elbow injury he suffered in Monte Carlo.

Andy Murray will decide today whether he is fit enough to play in this week's Barcelona Open. The 23-year-old Scot had a scan yesterday on the elbow he injured in Monte Carlo last week and has been having treatment from his physiotherapist.

Andy Murray's pride has been hurting more than his body for most of the past 10 weeks but the world No 4 headed for Spain yesterday with an injured elbow his greatest concern. Having restored much of his confidence during an excellent first week of the clay-court season, Murray will have to decide in the next 48 hours whether he is fit enough to play in this week's Barcelona Open.

Rafael Nadal will meet fellow Spaniard David Ferrer in the final of the Monte Carlo Masters here after overcoming Andy Murray, who was increasingly hampered by a right elbow injury, 6-4 2-6 6-1.

Ian Herbert talks to Sven Goran Eriksson and David Platt and learns that Roberto Mancini's outward calm is only half the story

Andy Murray completed a routine 6-2 6-1 win over Portuguese qualifier Frederico Gil to set up a Monte Carlo Masters semi-final with six-time reigning champion Rafael Nadal.

Roger Federer fell 6-4, 6-4 to Jurgen Melzer in the quarterfinals of the Monte Carlo Masters today, the former top-ranked player's earliest loss in a tournament since Wimbledon last year.

There can be no pleasing some people – and the sporting public of Monte Carlo are probably more particular in their tastes than most. Twelve months after booing Andy Murray off the court for the manner of his defeat in the Monte Carlo Masters, the Monégasques yesterday jeered the world No 4 for the manner of his 6-3, 6-3 victory over Gilles Simon.

Rafa Nadal and Roger Federer continued on a collision course towards the Monte Carlo Masters final after easily winning their third round matches in contrasting conditions today.

Better, much better. Nearly three months after he last took a set, let alone a match, Andy Murray finally rediscovered his winning touch yesterday. The 23-year-old Scot beat Radek Stepanek 6-1, 6-4 in the second round of the Monte Carlo Masters in such emphatic fashion that it was hard to believe he had lost his previous four matches so badly.

As he continues his search for a new coach, Andy Murray is considering an approach to Tim Henman. While Murray realises there is little chance that Henman would be interested in going into coaching at this stage of his life, he says the former British No 1 is someone "I would be interested in working with".

Novak Djokovic has pulled out of next week's Monte Carlo Masters through injury. The world No 2, who is unbeaten this year with 24 straight wins, has a knee problem.

Rafael Nadal still had a commanding lead of 3,170 points at the top of yesterday's updated world rankings list, but the Spaniard might soon start looking over his shoulder. Novak Djokovic is closing on Nadal after extending his winning run to 26 matches with a thrilling victory in the final of the Miami Masters on Sunday night.

Addicted to heroin and disillusioned with the music business, there was only one thing left for this scion of musical royalty to do: reinvent himself as a messianic figure called Edward Sharpe and spread the word of hope through music, mischief and mayhem